“Johnsville Through the Years”

From 2012 to 2013, The Southeastern Pennsylvania Cold War Historical Society briefly maintained a display cabinet entitled, "Johnsville Through the Years", located at the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, Horsham, PA

We rotated exhibits in the cabinet highlighting various aspects of the former Naval Air Development Center, Warminster, PA, including employees, departments, and projects.

Displays included the following:

• The Computer Department at the Naval Air Development Center, Warminster, PA
• The Development of Nomex, as Spearheaded by Alice Stoll, Biophysicist
• Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Radar System: Beginnings and Integration as Experienced by Walter Raymond “Gus” Gustafson

83^rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Cold War Historical Society’s President, Eleanor O’Rangers, delivered an oral presentation entitled, “DOCUMENTING PIONEERING HIGH-G PHYSIOLOGY RESEARCH THROUGH ORAL HISTORIES” during the 83^rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association in May, 2012 in Atlanta, GA.

The presentation’s objectives were to:

• Create awareness of the efforts of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Cold War Historical Society and its ongoing oral history preservation efforts.
• Pay tribute to the military and space program advancements accomplished at the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory in Warminster, PA
• Inspire future generations to pursue science and research careers.

It was a surprise to have several audience members approach Eleanor following the presentation to congratulate her and to reveal that they had worked in Warminster at the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory (aka the Dynamic Flight Simulator/Johnsville Centrifuge)!

Invited presentations/Displays

Our organization has been invited to present to various local organizations over the years. If you are interested in scheduling a presentation or display, please contact us

• Displays
  • Mercer Museum (display table)
  • Warminster Day (display table)
  • Warminster Free Library (display cabinet)
  
  
  
  

• Presentations
  • Doylestown Historical Society
  • Hilltown Historical Society
  • NARFE Chapter 0740, Doylestown, PA
  • Neshaminy Questers, Ivyland, PA
  • Rotary Club of Warminster, PA
  • Rotary Club of Warrington, PA
  • Warminster Free Library (webinar)
  
  
  
• Other Special Events
  • “Apollo 50” at the Fuge
  
  • Celebrating John Glenn’s Centennial in Cambridge and New Concord, OH, July 16-18, 2021

    In addition to interviewing author Alice George ("The Last American Hero: The Remarkable Life of John Glenn"), we also had the opportunity to present on John Glenn's centrifuge training in Warminster, PA prior to his Mercury flight.

    

    Some “merch” from the Centennial

    

    Rick Booth-- organizer of the John Glenn Centennial

    

    Astronaut Don Thomas (center) flanked by SE PA Cold War Society's President Eleanor O'Rangers (right, in red, white and blue) and her friend, Christine Estacion.

    

    Author and astronaut panel, John Glenn Centennial - July 16-18, 2021. Left to right: Rick Booth, moderator (and Centennial organizer), author Alice George ("The Last American Hero- the Remarkable Life of John Glenn"), author Jeff Sheshol ("Mercury Rising: John Glenn, John Kennedy and the New Battleground of the Cold War") and Ohio astronaut Don Thomas (who gave a wonderful and amusing talk.)

    

    Ohio aerospace symbolism on a fabulous commemorative patch! From the top left, clockwise: Neil Armstrong, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cambridge/New Concord (birthplace and childhood homes of John Glenn), The Ohio state flag, and the Wright Flyer to symbolize Dayton (the Wright Bros birthplace.)

  • The Space Race in Southeastern Pennsylvania: A Celebration of Aerospace Heritage in the Greater Philadelphia Region, July 20, 2024

    Our organization, along with The Fuge, hosted this event commemorating the 55th anniversary of the first lunar landing (Apollo 11) and the 65th anniversary of Project Mercury Astronaut training beginning on the Johnsville Centrifuge! It was also an opportunity to showcase state and federal recognition for the Johnsville Centrifuge, the Naval Air Development Center (where the centrifuge was located) and the broader aerospace heritage of the greater Philadelphia region.

    From the late 1950s through the mid-1970s, NASA used the Johnsville Centrifuge in Warminster, PA for acceleration training (G-force training) and feasibility testing for X-15 pilots as well as Projects Mercury, Gemini (New Nine), Gemini/Apollo and early Space Shuttle astronauts in preparation for spaceflight.

    August 2024 marked the 65th anniversary (August 1959) of Project Mercury astronaut training starting on the Johnsville Centrifuge. Project Mercury was the first U.S. manned spaceflight program and consisted of 7 astronauts—Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, Wally Schirra, Deke Slayton and Gordon Cooper.

    July 20, 2024 was the 55th anniversary of the first lunar landing (July 20, 1969). All 3 of the Apollo 11 crew-- Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins-- trained on the Johnsville Centrifuge!

    As a premier training facility for NASA during the early days of manned spaceflight, the Johnsville Centrifuge played a critical role in preparing our astronauts to win the Space Race.

    The Naval Air Development Center (NADC), later Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), formerly located in Warminster, Pennsylvania, was one of the leading U.S. Naval aviation research laboratories in the United States and played an integral role in shaping the naval and civilian aerospace landscape, fostering groundbreaking research, development, and testing for nearly sixty years.